Why using the AlignWayS plugin?

It may happen during editing that you'd like to have roads aligned with building outlines, or to make the lanes of a highway running parallel on the map.

These are situations when the AlignWayS plugin can be handy. All you do is: (1) select a reference way segment on the map, then (2) select a different segment to be aligned to it. Having selected them both, (3) hit the Align Way Segments action in the menu and that's it.

Availability

The plugin should be available in your JOSM Plugins preference window under "alignways" or you can download it from here.

Usage

In order to start using the plugin click on the Align Ways mode button on the left toolbar, or press Shift+N (default, key may vary).

You'll need to select a pair of segments you wish to align. One is called the reference segment, the other the to be aligned segment. It will probably make more sense to select the reference segment first, then the other one, but you can proceed in any order you wish.

To select the reference segment, Ctrl+Click near a segment. The segment should turn green. This segment won't be changed.

To be aligned segment selected

To select the to be aligned segment, Click near a different segment. The segment should turn orange.

You will also notice yellow crosshairs on the two ends of the segment and in the centre of it. These are the potential rotation points or pivots that the segment can rotate around in order to become parallel with the reference segment. By default the centre pivot point is active and this is marked with the yellow dot-and-circle.

(Optional)

Pivot point changed

If you prefer a different pivot (or rotation point), clicking near a yellow crosshair on the segment.

Segments aligned

With the two segments selected (also see Restrictions) the AlignWays action button becomes active . Hit it to align the segments, or alternatively hit Shift+A (default, key may vary).

(Optional) If you want to clear both selected segments Alt+Click in an open spot on the map.

Restrictions

Regardless of aligning method

You cannot select more than one segment to be aligned, i.e. the aligning works with a single pair of segments.

In general the two selected segments should not share any nodes as this would result in changing the position of the reference segment. If the two selected segments connect, the only allowed way to align them is to place the pivot point on their shared node.

Angle preserving aligning method

In general, the aligned segment must not connect to more than one segment at either ends. The only exception to this rule is when the endpoint is pivot.

If the calculated angle of the aligned segment and (at least) one of its adjacent segments are perfectly parallel, alignment with this method is not possible.

Shortcut list

Shift+N (default, key may vary): Activate AlignWayS mode

Ctrl+Click: Select the reference segment

Click: Select the to be aligned segment and/or pivot points

Alt+Click: Clear selections

Shift+A (default, key may vary): Align segments

Getting help

AlignWayS usage tips

The plugin will show a tips dialog window the first time you access it from the left toolbar. If you no longer need it, tick the Don't show this again checkbox.

Tip: Once disactivated the tip dialog can be reactivated again by accessing Edit->Preferences->Setting preference entries directly, then search for the alignways.showtips key (you should find it somewhere at the top of the list :)) and set its value to true.